Why I choose to pay my models.

I was thinking of writing a little about why I have chosen to pay models to pose for my Foot Projects, but I always let live another day.

Now it's time, after 2 years of shooting, working with almost 50 ladies who posed for me, hundreds of photo shoots and picking several locations, to clear things up since a lot of you are asking me from time to time the reason why.

I wont expand this article more than you can handle but rather I ll point out the basic ideas "why":

1) Because I do this for me only and have nothing to do with companies, model agencies or agents who might promote later the model's work. Therefore, by starting with this "handicap" I wouldnt think any lady accept my offer if there wasn't an exchange for what I m about to take, i.e. pictures. And surely, knowing that they wouldnt get something in exchange nothing would have happened all those 2 years.

2) Because dealing with this Project it takes whole lot of patience, time, and personal understanding, which a "friend" cannot handle or deal with. You cant do this kind of work with friends or their relatives for FREE because they get bored after a while or they start whining and grumping.. etc.etc... ( unless you are Brad Pitt, own a Porsche 911 or have a 300 m2 villa in Glyfada: and trust me I have neither of those 3. :)

3) Because friends and relatives dont take you seriously and you end up fooling around without any cause or knowing what to do. That's for all those who had adviced me in the beginning to start with friends and relatives.

and last but not least - and the most important reason:

4) Because when you pay (especially in this kind of give-take nature) you set the limits and borders between you and the model. Although I m an amateur photographer, which means I dont get paid nor live from what I m doing, I strictly follow the rules of respecting each one of my models, keeping the lines tight between me and them, work on a strictly professional idea, and above all respect me and then their personalities.


Gimme.